| Training » Teaching Your Dog Not to Bite |
| Just as dogs come in all shapes and sizes, their personalities are equally varied. Some have a playful nature, while others are rather serious about life. On occasion, some dogs develop an aggressive nature, which can be a serious problem for the owner (and others around you). Even the mild-mannered dog may occasionally act out and bite people. This is somewhat predictable, considering the fact that dogs are descended from wolves and wolves are well-known for having aggressive tendencies. However, biting can (and must) be controlled. Although some dogs are purposely trained to be aggressive, such as those working as watchdogs, most domestic dogs are considered to be ?pets.? Clearly, a pet dog should be a fun companion that limits any aggressive or protective behavior to barking and growling, but not biting. With the proper approach, a dog owner can train a dog not to bite. How to Reduce the Likelihood that Your Dog will Bite: 1) Have your dog spayed or neutered ? If you control your dog?s sex hormones, you will limit its tendency to roam and encounter other dogs. Roaming and challenging behaviors are closely associated with the tendency to bite humans; 2) Start early ? If you give a puppy sufficient human contact and socialization early, it will learn to accept people under a wide range of conditions and social circumstances. It?s a fact that biting can often come from stress or fear of new people and situations; 3) Play ?nice? ? When you play with your dog, do not encourage rough behavior. This is especially important if you own a large breed. Of course, it may be cute to play tug-of-war with a small puppy German Shepherd. But, when this guy grows up, he will be powerful and large. Aggressive playfulness can later translate into a serious problem. Also, avoid letting your puppy chew on your fingers and hands. Again, although this may seem a minor annoyance when the teeth are small, large teeth and powerful jaws will soon appear and you want to avoid ?chewing? at that stage. Don?t let this behavior ever start; 4) Train against biting ? There are various techniques to use when training your dog not to bite; these should always include a positive approach (praise and rewards), not punishment. (Never include punishment in ANY dog training program!) You may find it useful to consider obedience training for your dog. Be sure that all members of the family are involved in the training program. It will be useless to have only one family member use a consistent anti-biting approach, if others continue to rough-house with the dog; 5) Provide proper socialization ? Don?t leave your dog alone for long periods. Studies show that dogs that have a strong bond with their family and frequent social contact are less likely to bite or be aggressive; 6) Use common sense ? You may not know exactly what is likely to aggravate your dog, but you probably know what he or she is used to. With care, you can avoid problems. So, for example, if you know that your dog is not used to children, it makes little sense to allow it to be present for a child?s birthday party in your yard. Think. Plan ahead. In most cases, you can avoid a crisis by using good judgment. |
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